this is for all around use not a seal team dumping 100rd drums in a fire-fight. nor is this some guy in a rifle match. be general use it would include hunting, survival maybe some limited use as a LEO/CD type of thing. think of it as a modern m1carbine type of use.

now my personal preference is to the 16 inch mid-length lightweight.

in combat we carried many a m-4 with the m4/4 cut cv type barrels this is just a m-4 barrel with a little more meat left on the cutouts for better heat dissipation than the lighter versions of the m-4 . it is only useful for sustained auto fire--in a semi it would be just more dead weight.

maybe a heaver than a LW mid length--but lighter than a heavy ML--would be the ideal ticket?

the 11.5 is a very nice handeling weapon in CQC but at some cost? any thoughts on it??

I also like the 16" mid length and have a standard heavy weight barrel. I have shot the 16" lightweights only in the car length handguards and I did like them. I think the medium taper barrel would be ideal as my heavy barrel is a little muzzle heavy but it is steadier than a lightweight from the increased weight. I was concerned that the strict lightweight barrel would be sensitive as to how it was held like my old mini 14 was. I could change the impact several inches at 100yds depending on how I held it. perhaps someone would offer a barrel that was tapered from a heavy to a medium profile under the handguard the the front sight block at the standard 3/4" and then a slightly heavier lightweight profile from the sight block to the muzzle. You may have something going there.

I agree with moleman. The M4 profile is good as well. The mid length is the best of the best in my opinion. A little heavy, but it prvides the best consistency. I like Del-Ton, others may like some other supplier. Good luck

16" M.L. light, HBARs aren't really needed on a non-match AR, though the dissipator looks really nice if you are going to use the iron sights... Why would someone get the 14.5" and weld the FH on it to not be a SBR, it only saves an inch or so, but makes it so the FSB is stuck on there.

Longer sight radius, its the reason I really like the dissipator, it has rifle length handguards, and sight radius, with a 16" barrel, but it also has a second gas block under the handguards either at the carbine or midlength position, the front gas block is only a front sight, the one under the handguards is the real gas block...